This Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

August 8, 2017Graham Slaughter

When Vanessa Sicotte and her husband, Jonathan Plourde, moved into their Montreal West home in 2014, it had a single colour palette: yellow. Butter, canary, daffodil, cream – it was as though one paint swatch was used for every room. Built in 1926 by an architect who constructed the place for himself, the structure had good bones, and Sicotte, an interior design writer, blogger and TV personality, knew just what it needed. She drew on several inspirations for the makeover, including mid-century furniture, California surf vibes, and a bit of arts-and-crafts. Her signature touch: choosing a few wild-card pieces that didn’t quite fit in. The overall effect is a homey, timeless design that isn’t afraid to take some risks.

Home Tours

This Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

August 8, 2017 Graham Slaughter

When Vanessa Sicotte and her husband, Jonathan Plourde, moved into their Montreal West home in 2014, it had a single colour palette: yellow. Butter, canary, daffodil, cream – it was as though one paint swatch was used for every room. Built in 1926 by an architect who constructed the place for himself, the structure had good bones, and Sicotte, an interior design writer, blogger and TV personality, knew just what it needed. She drew on several inspirations for the makeover, including mid-century furniture, California surf vibes, and a bit of arts-and-crafts. Her signature touch: choosing a few wild-card pieces that didn’t quite fit in. The overall effect is a homey, timeless design that isn’t afraid to take some risks.

The Art of Compromise

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The Art of Compromise

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Sicotte and her husband have different design ethos: she likes florals and flourish, and he’s a bit more classic. The living room captures their his-and-hers approach. The heather grey Montauk couch pops with bohemian pillow accents, while the tobacco leather couch strikes a more masculine aesthetic. The suspended wooden chair, designed by a Swedish company, adds a touch of whimsy.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

The Art of Compromise

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Sicotte and her husband have different design ethos: she likes florals and flourish, and he’s a bit more classic. The living room captures their his-and-hers approach. The heather grey Montauk couch pops with bohemian pillow accents, while the tobacco leather couch strikes a more masculine aesthetic. The suspended wooden chair, designed by a Swedish company, adds a touch of whimsy.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Diamond Reflections

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Diamond Reflections

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Dramatic windows frame the living space, and Sicotte chose the patterned carpet to mirror the crosshatch design. Behind the couch is a sample of Sicotte’s plant collection, which adds an organic feel to the room. She has dozens throughout the house and relies on humidity thermometers to keep her collection alive and well.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Diamond Reflections

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Dramatic windows frame the living space, and Sicotte chose the patterned carpet to mirror the crosshatch design. Behind the couch is a sample of Sicotte’s plant collection, which adds an organic feel to the room. She has dozens throughout the house and relies on humidity thermometers to keep her collection alive and well.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Woven Touch

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Woven Touch

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Sicotte lived in California for a time, and she admired the use of earth tones in design. This basket vignette combines natural elements to add a soothing anchor to the coffee table. Montreal designer Monique Sainte Marie made the fringed blue basket out of hemp.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Woven Touch

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Sicotte lived in California for a time, and she admired the use of earth tones in design. This basket vignette combines natural elements to add a soothing anchor to the coffee table. Montreal designer Monique Sainte Marie made the fringed blue basket out of hemp.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Green Dawn

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Green Dawn

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

The massive painting behind the couch, made by artist Zoe Pawlak, captures the fresh essence of the room for Sicotte, who says the piece reminded her of a bright morning on the ocean. It’s colours are reflected in the cheeky tassels atop the hanging chair.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Green Dawn

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The massive painting behind the couch, made by artist Zoe Pawlak, captures the fresh essence of the room for Sicotte, who says the piece reminded her of a bright morning on the ocean. It’s colours are reflected in the cheeky tassels atop the hanging chair.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Blue Flame

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Blue Flame

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

The marine blue fireplace and buoy accent (bought for $10 at a market) tie in the room’s subtle nautical theme. The vintage starburst mirror and small peace sign statue allude to a hippie vibe that Sicotte credits to being a kid in the 1970s.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Blue Flame

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The marine blue fireplace and buoy accent (bought for $10 at a market) tie in the room’s subtle nautical theme. The vintage starburst mirror and small peace sign statue allude to a hippie vibe that Sicotte credits to being a kid in the 1970s.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Harboured Thoughts

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Harboured Thoughts

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

More buoys are seen in the corner of the room, alongside Sicotte’s personal collection of hats. The vintage secretary has three drawers — one for each of her children’s knick knacks. The romantic pink picture is a print by artist Leigh Viner.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Harboured Thoughts

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More buoys are seen in the corner of the room, alongside Sicotte’s personal collection of hats. The vintage secretary has three drawers — one for each of her children’s knick knacks. The romantic pink picture is a print by artist Leigh Viner.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Paper Patterns

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Paper Patterns

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Sicotte jokes that the dining room used to look like it belonged in a convent, with its dark wood and early-Victorian design. She freshened it up with grey-and-white wallpaper and a striking table anchored by two wishbone chairs. She kept a touch of the room’s cloistered past, with a nine-foot-long church bench brought in from Prince Edward County.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Paper Patterns

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Sicotte jokes that the dining room used to look like it belonged in a convent, with its dark wood and early-Victorian design. She freshened it up with grey-and-white wallpaper and a striking table anchored by two wishbone chairs. She kept a touch of the room’s cloistered past, with a nine-foot-long church bench brought in from Prince Edward County.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Home Plate

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Home Plate

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Plate rails aren’t so common these days, but Sicotte decided to use one to profile art made by her kids. On the far left is a plate patterned with fairies, given to Sicotte by her grandmother just before she passed away. The mishmash of personal and whimsical gives the space a bit of familial warmth.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Home Plate

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Plate rails aren’t so common these days, but Sicotte decided to use one to profile art made by her kids. On the far left is a plate patterned with fairies, given to Sicotte by her grandmother just before she passed away. The mishmash of personal and whimsical gives the space a bit of familial warmth.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Painted Hardwood? Why Not

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Painted Hardwood? Why Not

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

There was plenty of debate when Sicotte proposed painting the original oak floorboards a crisp shade of white. It might seem sacrilege, but she knew it would brighten up the space. She says she did the project “clandestinely” and, thankfully, it was a hit. The solid brass light fixture above the table is a vintage Italian piece from the 1920s.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Painted Hardwood? Why Not

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There was plenty of debate when Sicotte proposed painting the original oak floorboards a crisp shade of white. It might seem sacrilege, but she knew it would brighten up the space. She says she did the project “clandestinely” and, thankfully, it was a hit. The solid brass light fixture above the table is a vintage Italian piece from the 1920s.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Galley Way

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Galley Way

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

This kitchen was once painted (you guessed it) yellow with a bright red countertop. For less than $5,000, Sicotte transformed the space into a black-and-white kitchen with an encaustic tile backsplash. Since the dining room project worked out so well, these hardwood floors are painted a pale aqua blue.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Galley Way

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This kitchen was once painted (you guessed it) yellow with a bright red countertop. For less than $5,000, Sicotte transformed the space into a black-and-white kitchen with an encaustic tile backsplash. Since the dining room project worked out so well, these hardwood floors are painted a pale aqua blue.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Farm to Kitchen

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Farm to Kitchen

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

The two thick wooden shelves on the left weigh 100 lbs. each. Sicotte found them on a farm and anchored them to the wall with several tough brackets.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Farm to Kitchen

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The two thick wooden shelves on the left weigh 100 lbs. each. Sicotte found them on a farm and anchored them to the wall with several tough brackets.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Fit for a Queen

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Fit for a Queen

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

One of the most remarkable pieces in the house is this 350-year-old chair, which, once upon a time, lived in a French castle. It’s still gilded with real gold, but has been updated with a regal floral pattern. It’s the centrepiece of Sicotte’s luxe walk-in closet, which used to be a den.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Fit for a Queen

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One of the most remarkable pieces in the house is this 350-year-old chair, which, once upon a time, lived in a French castle. It’s still gilded with real gold, but has been updated with a regal floral pattern. It’s the centrepiece of Sicotte’s luxe walk-in closet, which used to be a den.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Night Bloom

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Night Bloom

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

The master bedroom is another area of compromise. The stately Ethan Allen bed frame was customized with delicate fabric, one of the few places in the house where Sicotte injected florals. On the left, Sicotte’s bedside table features a sensual photograph of a dripping mouth and a quirky lotus flower lamp from the 1960s. Plourde’s side includes a teak alpaca statuette and pop of plant life.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Night Bloom

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The master bedroom is another area of compromise. The stately Ethan Allen bed frame was customized with delicate fabric, one of the few places in the house where Sicotte injected florals. On the left, Sicotte’s bedside table features a sensual photograph of a dripping mouth and a quirky lotus flower lamp from the 1960s. Plourde’s side includes a teak alpaca statuette and pop of plant life.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Picture Perfect

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Picture Perfect

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

At the end of the bed, a sitting area features a striped chair in neutral tones (for Plourde) and a vintage teak seat reupholstered in a robin’s egg blue (for Sicotte). In the corner, a Hermes scarf is framed on the wall—a trick to preserve the fabric and feature it more prominently.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Picture Perfect

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At the end of the bed, a sitting area features a striped chair in neutral tones (for Plourde) and a vintage teak seat reupholstered in a robin’s egg blue (for Sicotte). In the corner, a Hermes scarf is framed on the wall—a trick to preserve the fabric and feature it more prominently.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Out of This World

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Out of This World

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

In Sicotte’s son’s room, planets and constellations are featured throughout the space. His globe collection is scattered across the room, and the bedspread, from Liberty of London, has dozens of constellations spattered across the fabric.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Out of This World

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In Sicotte’s son’s room, planets and constellations are featured throughout the space. His globe collection is scattered across the room, and the bedspread, from Liberty of London, has dozens of constellations spattered across the fabric.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Goodnight, Moon

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Goodnight, Moon

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

The navy-and-gold wallpaper may look like polkadots, but in fact, it’s phases of the moon. The wallpaper isn’t sold in Canada, so Sicotte had it shipped in from a retailer in Paris. The bookcase is bamboo, and Sicotte found it at a flea market for $25 and spray-painted it firetruck red.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Goodnight, Moon

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The navy-and-gold wallpaper may look like polkadots, but in fact, it’s phases of the moon. The wallpaper isn’t sold in Canada, so Sicotte had it shipped in from a retailer in Paris. The bookcase is bamboo, and Sicotte found it at a flea market for $25 and spray-painted it firetruck red.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Poster Child

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Poster Child

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Posters from the Danish pavilion at Expo 67, which was held in Montreal, are hung throughout the room. They’re a cute touch of Canadiana in an otherwise interstellar room, and, as an added bonus, Sicotte says the collectible pieces have nearly tripled in value since she bought them in 2010. And, if you look closely, the bedside lamp is actually a sneaky giraffe.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Poster Child

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Posters from the Danish pavilion at Expo 67, which was held in Montreal, are hung throughout the room. They’re a cute touch of Canadiana in an otherwise interstellar room, and, as an added bonus, Sicotte says the collectible pieces have nearly tripled in value since she bought them in 2010. And, if you look closely, the bedside lamp is actually a sneaky giraffe.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Fit for a Fairy

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Fit for a Fairy

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Sicotte’s 8-year-old daughter lives in this room, and, as you can probably tell, she likes pink. The floor is painted pink, and the bedskirt looks like it was ripped off Cinderella’s ball gown. The Victorian settee, purchased at an auction in a deep green fabric, was reupholstered in a cloudy grey and has since become a landing spot for stuffed animals.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Fit for a Fairy

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Sicotte’s 8-year-old daughter lives in this room, and, as you can probably tell, she likes pink. The floor is painted pink, and the bedskirt looks like it was ripped off Cinderella’s ball gown. The Victorian settee, purchased at an auction in a deep green fabric, was reupholstered in a cloudy grey and has since become a landing spot for stuffed animals.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Tight Corners

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Tight Corners

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

The top-floor bedroom is sloped with the roof, so Sicotte had to saw a 1960s tulip table in half to make it fit the space. To keep with the room’s theme, she painted the base a shade of flamingo pink. The vintage gum ball machine on the bookcase was once red and damaged, so Sicotte changed the glass and painted it a peachy coral.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Tight Corners

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The top-floor bedroom is sloped with the roof, so Sicotte had to saw a 1960s tulip table in half to make it fit the space. To keep with the room’s theme, she painted the base a shade of flamingo pink. The vintage gum ball machine on the bookcase was once red and damaged, so Sicotte changed the glass and painted it a peachy coral.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Shapes and Sounds

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Shapes and Sounds

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

This room belongs to Sicotte’s eldest daughter, who she lovingly refers to as her “Sporty Spice.” She went with a geometric design on the wall, painted in harmonious tones of olive, mustard, peach and blue. The hardwood floors were painted light grey to give the room a lofty feel.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Shapes and Sounds

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This room belongs to Sicotte’s eldest daughter, who she lovingly refers to as her “Sporty Spice.” She went with a geometric design on the wall, painted in harmonious tones of olive, mustard, peach and blue. The hardwood floors were painted light grey to give the room a lofty feel.

Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

Ivy League Dreams

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Ivy League Dreams

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Photo Credit: Lauren Kolyn

The homework area is also tucked near the roof’s slope, so Sicotte placed her father’s childhood desk in the space. She updated it with a fresh coat of navy blue paint to go with the baby blue Eiffel chair. In front of the desk is a tiny flag from Yale University — at the age of 12, Sicotte’s daughter has already chosen her future alma mater.

Home ToursThis Cheeky Montreal Home is Pretty Much the Opposite of Minimalism

Ivy League Dreams

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The homework area is also tucked near the roof’s slope, so Sicotte placed her father’s childhood desk in the space. She updated it with a fresh coat of navy blue paint to go with the baby blue Eiffel chair. In front of the desk is a tiny flag from Yale University — at the age of 12, Sicotte’s daughter has already chosen her future alma mater.